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10 Home Security Tips

January 14, 2019

10 Home Security TipsBy Chris Ward

According to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics, the rate of property crime was estimated at 2,362.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2017, totaling up to $15.3 billion in estimated loses. And that’s only if you take into account the instances where nobody was hurt. If you factor in violence, robbery offenses accounted for roughly 26% of all violent crimes in 2017, though the data does not specify the nature of the robberies.

Even though the trends nationwide are lower today than they were in the past, nobody can contest that burglaries aren’t still prevalent in the United States. Given the data, it’s perfectly understandable why many homeowners are looking for ways to protect themselves and their homes.

There are a lot of different methods to increase your home’s safety, and here are the ten best options:

Remove the “Hiding Spots” from Your Home

Here’s one precaution that a lot of people seem to forget. Take a look at your property to see if there are any places where a robber can hide. For instance, trees and bushes are the perfect spots were these perps can go unnoticed, waiting for you to leave home or climb in through the window once you’re asleep. You should trim anything high enough to block a window or that makes it easier for thieves to climb through.

You should also consider adding some automatic lights on your property, particularly outdoors. Most of them are sensitive enough not to get activated if an animal walks nearby, so you don’t have to worry about them turning on every time a raccoon makes a short appearance. But they do detect human presence.

Perhaps you are in a rush, you forget, or you live in a closely-knit community where it’s customary to leave your front door unlocked. Either way, it’s a very common way thieves can enter a home, so make sure you lock everything, even when you’re inside the house. If you have an automated system, double check it on your smartphone even after you’ve left, just to be sure.

Install a Home Security System

According to one report, 60% of convicted robbers said that if a home had a security system installed, they wouldn’t even try to break in.

So, the simple presence of a home security system can help protect you. It’s one of the best ways to ensure your safety in your home because a lot of the companies can offer great layers of protection.

Let’s take one example and see what the guys at First Security can offer:

Integrated alarm systems;

Private security guards;

Residential security;

Loss prevention;

Alarm response

Vehicle patrol.

Ok, so most households might not need private security guards at the scene at all times, but it’s still an important factor / add on to consider. It is a pretty good example of how diverse the services of a good security company are.

Make It Seem like You’re Always There

The reality of burglaries isn’t exactly like it is in the movies, where the robber, silent as a cat, enters your home and has their way while you’re upstairs sleeping. Most of home robberies take place when the house is empty.

So, your home is at its most vulnerable when you’re away, particularly if you leave on vacation for a few days, or you have to travel for your job often. It’s a good idea to ask a friend to stop by regularly or have an automatic light timer when you’re away.

Upgrade Your Windows

Another thing you could do to increase home security is to change your windows with the ones that come with shatterproof glass. That way, robbers won’t have this option to enter your home.

If you can’t afford that, there’s also the cheaper option of adding security film to your windows to prevent the glass from shattering when broken. That may deter the perp from continuing their breaking in attempt.

Secure the Sliding Door

A lot of homes have a sliding door that leads to the backyard, which often comes with sort of useless locks. Burglars can get past them pretty quickly, so you need to make sure you add an extra security bar to it to make it more difficult to open from the outside. If you have a sliding door in your home, this precaution is a must.

Don’t Help

Thieves will use just about anything you leave around your home to get access. So remember to pack up any ladders, hammers, or whatever else you have around your house that would help someone to break in.

Moreover, keep your garage door locked as well. Perps have no problems going inside to look for any tools they might use to get easy access inside.

Don’t Post Everything on Social Media

We’re living in a digital world, and it’s possible for some perpetrators to skip the old fashion screening of the places they plan to rob and go online to look at your profile. And, if what they find are loads of pictures posted from vacation, their attention may be drawn to your home.

So be careful what you post online, and make sure your home information isn’t public.

Don’t Fall for Old Tricks

We all know about the key under the doormat or the one put inside the fake rock on the porch. And if we know about them, the robbers know about them as well. In fact, try not to leave that spare key lying around your home for any reason. Instead, ask a neighbor you trust to keep it. We get that it sometimes might come in handy, but leaving out in the open is a bit irresponsible.

Get New Locks

If you just bought a new home, change all the locks in the house. You have no idea who has another spare key out there, so why take that chance? Also change the locks if you ever lose a spare of keys, even if you’re completely sure nobody stole them. It’s always better to go that extra mile to make sure you’re protected.

Back to You

As you can see, there are a lot of different ways you can increase the level of your home security, and a lot of them have to do with you and how careful you are not to make it an accessible path for the burglars to get into your house.

Take these recommendations and apply them to your household, and make sure every person living there follows them. All burglars need is one slip-up to get in.